What’s the best flour for pizza dough?
Taste test approved. Italian Tipo “00” is hands down the best. You can buy it online at amazon.com or at your local Italian grocery store. I actually found mine at my nearest grocery store. Top the dough with Marinara Sauce, include your family’s favorite toppings, and you’re ready to go.
Double-O Pizza Dough Recipe
Yield: 2 large pizza crusts Prep Time: 10 minutes Rest Time: 2 hours
Ingredients:
2 cups Tipo 00 flour
1/8 teaspoon of active dried yeast
3/4 cup warm water
½ tsp sugar
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
Extra light olive oil
Directions:
- Put 2 and ¾ cups of Tipo 00 flour in a large bowl. Mix salt and sugar in with flour. With a fork create a well in the middle of the flour. Add the yeast and 1/4 cup of warm water inside the well, and wait for 3 minutes to let the yeast absorb in the water.
- Use your fork to bring the flour in gradually into the water. Keep stirring, drawing more flour inside the liquid. Add the remaining ½ cup of water as you go. After a few minutes, you’ll notice the flour is starting to bind together.
- Dust your hands with flour and pile the dough on a flour dusted surface. Knead the dough until it feels springy, like the texture of play dough. Usually, it takes around 5-8 minutes to knead.
- Drizzle about a teaspoon of extra light olive oil in a medium sized ceramic bowl. Use the ball of dough to gently coat the bowl with the olive oil.
- In its ball form, place the dough in the bowl. Cover the top of the bowl with a warm, damp tea towel or plastic wrap. Let the dough stand in a warm place until it has doubled in size; usually about 2 hours. **
Tips:
* “00” flour is Italy’s version of all-purpose flour but has a silky texture to it. Because of this, your dough will turn out smooth and elastic. If all you have on hand is all-purpose flour, then substitute away. Home-made pizza dough is by far better than any store bought crust. Plus, your house will smell amazing as the dough rises.
** Food & Wine has a fantastic article on how to make Perfect Neapolitan Pizza Dough. The process takes a few days, but I’m sure it’s worth it. The plan was to follow their tutorial, but then I got hungry for pizza tonight, and well…maybe next time.
Ellie Bleu 
I have never heard of Tipo 00 flour before, but you can be sure I’ll be on the look out for it now.
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Hi Starr. I found a good deal online at Amazon. I’m researching other ways to bake with the flour.
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I always use this type of flour also to make my fresh pasta too. Mmmmmm.
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I’ll have to try it with pasta. Thanks for the tip.
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I am always feeling like the dough appears to dry. Is it supposed to look cracked and dry? I followed directions precisely?
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Hi Jordan. Thank you for your comment. I’m sorry the recipe didn’t turn out. I modified the recipe a bit after experimenting to troubleshoot any foreseeable problems. If you overwork the dough during the kneading process that could cause the cracks. I broke down the directions a little better this time around. Keep your comments coming. It really helps me perfect the recipe.
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When does the 1/2 tsp fine sea salt get added?
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Hi Kaye. Thank you for your comment. The salt gets added to the flour mixture before creating a well and adding the yeast and warm water.
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At what point do you add the sea salt?
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You can add the sea salt to the flour mixture before you add the water and yeast. Thank you so much for your comment. I can’t believe that I forgot to add it to the directions 🙂 I also included a little sugar. A trick that I learned over the years experimenting with this recipe.
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Quick question just made this dough but when do you put salt in? I just realize I left it out and reread directions and don’t see it anywhere!
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Hi Tricia. Thank you for your comment. It was one of my first post and really needed the extra set of eyes on this recipe. I updated the recipe and added salt and a little sugar. It’s updated in the directions as well. Hope you have a lovey day!
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when do you add the salt? I can’t find it in your recipe.
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OMG thank you for pointing out my mistake. If anyone else is reading comments, please let me know if I missed something. Thank you Deb. You’ve just saved my most clicked-on post. 🙂
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I find a little salt goes a long way. I don’t add salt to the proofing yeast as I only wisk it in the flour before adding the liquid ingredients. Salt and yeast are not the best of friend however, if the salt is among floury friends, it isn’t a problem.
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To replicate a hot pizza oven, do the following:
– Put a pizza stone in the oven
– Preheat oven at 550°F for at least 30 minutes
– Transfer the pizza to the stone
– Turn off the oven and turn on the broiler
– Broil for about 5-6 minutes or until desired doneness
Crispy yet chewy crust. Best technique I have found over the past 40+ years.
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Thank you Robert! I really needed this recipe. I just got a new pizza stone for my blog relaunch and can’t wait to use it this fall when the temp gets a little cooler. I’ll be sure if I add a recipe to thank you.
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